Call for papers

PHOTOGRAPHY INTO CONTEMPORARY ART: THE BIGGER PICTURE

Postgraduate Conference, University of Essex, Colchester
Friday, 15 May 2009
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 31 January 2009

Since the 1960s, photography has put into question well-established
procedures, beliefs and categories in artistic practise and theory.
Central issues within conceptual art, time-based art, theories of
postmodernism, etc. were raised in relation to photography as a medium
and as a recording device.
This one-day conference aims to trace the implications of photography in
the expanded field of contemporary art. It is organised in the context
of an AHRC-funded research project, Aesthetics after Photography, hosted
by the Universities of Essex and Warwick. The project embraces the
perspectives of art history and philosophical aesthetics alike. We
invite proposals for papers focusing on contemporary artistic practises
as well as theories concerned with photography, and we especially
encourage contributions that creatively combine both art historical and
philosophical perspectives.
Proposals from graduates in fields other than art history that aim to
contribute to the topic would also be welcome. The historical time-frame
will be broadly interpreted as 1950s to the present, but exceptions may
be made.

Possible topics of inquiry may include:

Theoretical paradigms and discussions
Photography as a document
Photography in the context of other lens-based media and mixed-media art
Photography and painting
Digitalization and contemporary art photography
Contemporary photography, installation and exhibition strategies

Proposals from candidates outside the UK are welcome, and within reason,
support with travel costs and accommodation will be offered to the
successful applicants. If you are a PhD candidate, or have submitted
your dissertation recently, and would like to submit a paper, please
send a 200-300 word abstract and brief C.V. to the e-mail addresses of
Wolfgang Brückle and Margaret Iversen (as below) before 31 January.
Applicants will be informed about the outcome of their submission before
the end of February. The length of the papers should not exceed 25-30
min. Publication plans will be considered on the basis of the success of
the conference.

More information about the project can be found here:
http://www2.essex.ac.uk/arthistory/ahrc/default.asp
Please join our e-mail list!

If you have any queries, please contact:

Wolfgang Brückle wbruckleessex.ac.uk
Margaret Iversen miversenessex.ac.uk

Department of Art History and Theory
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
(UK) Colchester CO4 3SQ